The Chandrabose Chronicles - Part 1

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

The Chandrabose Chronicles- Part 1

While the annals of Tamil Film Music flaunt with pride the glittering works of the great masters and gush with accolades in honour of their richly deserved successes, there are in the same chronicles certain seldom turned pages- pages that sing a sadder song- a hushed wail of neglect, a whimper of failure, an unshed tear for all the lost opportunities, an unuttered reproach at being consigned to oblivion, a hastily written epitaph for an end that went unsung and unwept.

Hidden among these pages is the name of the forgotten composer Thangappan Subash Chandrabose. The man behind many a memorable score, most of them squandered on undeserving movies that were sent back to the cans without much ado. Added to that was the fact that Chandrabose made his debut at around the same time in the 70s as Ilaiyaraja and was soon overshadowed by that brilliant contemporary.

Thanks to good friend Kumaraswamy Sundar, I had an opportunity to meet with Chandrabose during
my visit to Chennai in June 2010. As we had a long leisurely conversation over his career and compositions, it was heartwarming to see the philosophical shrug with which he accepted the imponderable ways of destiny. He seemed content with the opportunities that came his way, justifiably proud of his body of work, serenely resigned to the dwindling opportunities and naively excited about his new innings as an actor in the small screen. 'Those who seek for much are left in want of much. Happy is he to whom God has given, with sparing hand, as much as is enough' These words of Horace from 'Carmina' came to mind as I sat listening to him, mesmerized.

And, just a few months later, on the last day of September, came the shocking news of his demise- years of intemperance had finally taken their toll- Chandrabose died of suspected liver disease in a Government Hospital. Even sadder was the report that he was shifted from hospital to hospital and few of his friends in the music fraternity had to contribute towards settling his medical expenses. What a fall for a man who, for a few years, was the official composer of the prestigious AVM Productions! His cheerful countenance and joy when recalling his works, his drumming on the table at the Woodlands Restaurant where we sat singing his songs are the memories that stay on… and I could not keep my promise of getting him a make-up kit that he had requested on my next visit to India.
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Thangappan Subhash Chandrabose was drawn to music even as a child. This comes as no surprise if we look up his antecedents. His father was 'Rajapart' Thangappan, a famous stage artiste known for his rich baritone. CB's aunt (mother's sister) was S.R. Kamalam, a close friend of T.A. Mathuram and a top-ranking stage actress and singer of her time whose emotion-charged performance as Chandramathi in the 'Harishchandra' drama had the audience in tears. CB's elder brother Kamalanathan was an actor in R.S. Manohar's 'National Theaters'. S.R. Kamalam's son Govindan was a skilled Harmonium player who played for the dancers Sasi, Kala & Mani.

Thus, CB grew up in a household that reverberated all day with lilting music and stirring dialogues. He donned the grease paint when he was barely 12 years old and acted in stage plays. In an interview CB revealed that acting was his first love, but it was only in music that he gained fame. Among the plays in which he acted, CB remembers with a special fondness 'Manimakudam' and 'Parasakthi'. He was also part of the Sasi-Kala- Mani ensemble for a while. Those were the times when music was still an integral part of stage plays and CB thus picked up the nuances of classical music while enacting various legendary roles and rendering popular traditional songs under the exacting supervision of revered masters who ruled the numerous 'Boys' Companies' with an iron hand. CB entered Tamil cinema as a dubbing artiste, and worked in several movies dubbed from Telugu.
CB struck a friendship with another aspiring musician called C. Deva. Their friendship developed to such an extent that Deva' s parents considered CB as their eldest son. Together as 'Boses-Deva', CB and Deva gave light music programs and composed music for stage plays of V. Gopalakrishnan, Manorama and V.C. Guhanathan. It was through V. C. Guhanathan that CB made his debut as a composer in the 1977 movie Mathura Geetham.
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This came about at the time when CB had gained some prominence as a stage singer. His favorite song at that time was the Hindi song "Beshak Mandir Masjid Todo' sung by Narendra Chanchal in 'Bobby'. When 'Bobby' was released at the Star Theater in Triplicane, CB watched the movie repeatedly just for this song. So enamoured of this song was he that he used to go to the Marina early in the morning and practice singing the high-pitched number. CB's rendition of the song at R.R. Sabha brought the audience to its feet.

MSV was among the guests at a cultural event in Loyola College when CB sang this song. He was intrigued by this unusual voice, and offered to CB the coveted opportunity to sing in his music for the movie 'Aaru Pushpangal'. CB was thrilled at this chance of a lifetime, but was in two minds whether to reveal to MSV that he was also composing music for a movie at that time.

Finally, it was Kannadasan who let the cat out of the bag. It happened in this way: Sitting with CB, Kannadasan was writing 'Kaaindha sinaiyum' for 'Madhura Geetham' in the morning, and in the afternoon, he went to Vauhini Studio to watch the recording of the songs of 'Aaru pushpangal'. To Kannadasan's amazement, CB was already there, and after asking him to sing for them 'Beshak Mandir Masjid Todo', MSV introduced CB to the bard, informing him that it was CB who was going to sing 'Yendi muththamma'. The amused Kannadasan informed MSV that CB was already composing music for 'Madhura Geetham.' CB was watching MSV's face worriedly for any sign of anger at CB not disclosing this fact to him. To his immense relief, a beaming MSV congratulated CB and showered his blessings upon him. The song 'Yendi muththamma', as we all know became the rage of the season.

Over the years CB, with his unconventional voice, did sing (or at times merely hummed), albeit sparingly. And though some of these instances such as 'Mazhaikaala megam' (Tharayil Vaazhum Meengal), 'Maalai muthu maalai'(Madhavi Vandhaal), 'Nilavenna pesumo' (Vadivangal), 'Paththu maadham sumandhava' (Selvaakku), 'Vaaikkozhuppu thaan ippOthu' (Vaaikkozhuppu), 'Poonchittu kuruvigala' (Oru Thottil Sabatham), 'Deepavali deepavali thaan' (Naan Pudicha Maappillai) and the 'gaana' bits in Thalaivaasal(in Balabharathi's music) did become popular, 'Yendi muththamma' endures as CB's best singing effort ever.

An interesting aside: as a humble token of gratitude, CB invited MSV to sing in his music, and the Mellisai Mannar responded graciously by rendering the philosophical 'Endha vazhi povadhu' for the film Kutravaali.
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Aaru Pushpangal (10.11.1977/ Ashtalakshmi Pictures) had in its cast Vijayakumar, Rajinikant, Srividya, Y. Vijaya, S.V.Sahasaranamam, Pandaribai, VKR, Surulirajan & Manorama. Kalaignanam and Panasai Mani crafted the screenplay and the dialogues. The film was produced by SNS.Thirumal and directed by K.M. Balakrishnan.

The story revolved around the family of a poor but upright man Azhagarsami (Sahasranamam) who has 6 daughters. When the entire village wonders how he is going to secure a good future for them, the enterprising daughters, surmounting the hindrances placed by the wily VKR, bring glory and prosperity to the family.....by running a transport bus all by themselves! Srividya and Y.Vijaya played the elder daughters, with Vijayakumar and Rajinikant playing their romantic leads and also helping them in their venture.
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And she hath smiles to earth unknown;
Smiles, that with motion of their own
do spread, and sink, and rise;
that come and go with endless play,
and ever, as they pass away,
are hidden in her eyes.

-William Wordsworth (Louisa)

One doesn't need to have seen this song to know its visuals- the Mellisai Mannar summons up such an arresting collage of picture-postcard pastoral perfection that we know intuitively that the sequence is of romance atop the undulating and comforting rhythms of the bullock carts as they move unhurriedly along verdant rustic lanes, while the sun bids adieu amidst the distant hills.

The convoy of carts is full of happy people, going perhaps to some village festivity. And some of them are even happier than the rest, for love has struck, stealing in stealthily! Srividya,with her large expressive eyes, smiles bashfully at Vijayakumar's surreptitious, sidelong glances; while Y.Vijaya, made of bolder stuff, giggles saucily at the ogling Rajini. The carts move on, the bells jingling merrily, as the cunning Cupid smirks in satisfaction at a job well done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEDOa8IcRDQ

- Much more on the CB trail to be travelled upon….

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